Web and air conditioning means



3 Sheets-Sheet l 544116426292 g ATTORNEY Nov. 2, 1943. A. WEISS WEB ANDAIR CONDITIONING MEANS Original Filed May 7, 1940 W I. IQIIFPiLIEJI mPEL 5 v rihli v 5 3 WD .5

Nov. 2, 1943. A. WEISS 2,333,220

WEB AND AIR CONDITIONING MEANS Original Filed May 7, 19 .0 3Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Nov. 2, 1943. I A. WEISS WEB AND AIRCONDITIONING MEANS Original Filed May '7, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORBY ADOLPH WEISS Wfi z;

' ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2, 1943 WEB AND AIR CONDITIONING MEANS AdolphWeiss, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor, by mesnc assignments, to InterchemicalCorporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Ohio Original applicationMay 7, 1940, Serial No.

1941 Serial No. 397,091

13 Claims. (Cl. 101-452) This invention relates to web and airconditioning means for printing, coating and other machines of a likecharacter, whereby localized treatment may be employed for conditioninwebs which have been printed, coated or otherwise operated upon; forconditioning the air surroundin treated portions of the web so as toregulate its temperature, moistur and chemical content; for fixing ordrying the inks on freshly printed webs; for diluting and disposing ofthe vapors emanating from webs printed with inks employing volatilesolvents; for the control of static and prevention of explosion; and forvarious other purposes to which such localized treatments areapplicable. The invention is particularly well suited for the localizedtreatment of. printed webs in rotary intaglio printing presses forconditioning the webs and ventilating the air surrounding those portionsof the webs which are under localized treatment.

Due to recent advances in' the art of rotary intaglio printing, theoperating speed of the presses have been increased to such an extentthat, at the present time, surface production of 7200 square inches perminute is not unusual. Rotary intaglio printing presses of today are,therefore, characterized by high operating speeds and printed surfaceproduction, and, inasmuch as the inks employed dry by th evaporation oftheir highly volatile solvents, enormous volumes of vapors must bedisposed of. In view of these conditions, and especially in multicolorrotary intaglio printing presses wherein from to 8 impressions may bemade on a swiftly moving web and heat is usually applied for increasingth rate of evaporation and shortening the distance between impressioncenters, the disposal of the vapors arising from the evaporation of volatile solvents creates a major problem.

Various form .of web treating and ventilating systems have been devisedfor conditioning printed webs and ventilating pressrooms' with a andpracticable. Probably one of the most im- Divided and this applicationJune 7,

' render the entire printing press unsightly by the addition ofstructure extraneous to the press framework which support it. Anotherand even more important objection to the prior known web treating andventilating systems is that they render the printing units themselvesinaccessible so that it is difficult and even impossible to thread thepress efficiently and make any adjustments or changes that may berequired in the printing elements. Thus, th prior known forms of webtreating and ventilatin systems prevent free access to the web conveyingand press mechanism and constitute decided handi- I caps to efficientoperation of the press, often causing expensive delays in production.

I have found that all ofthese difliculties may be eliminated and haveprovided an improved printing press including improved means forconditioning the printed web and for ventilating the adjacent air, theconstruction of the press and its associated web guiding andconditioning means being such that ready access may be had to theprinting units at all times.

In accordance with my invention, the side frames of the printing pressare utilized for the housing of ducts for supplying a web treatingmedium and exhausting such medium together with .the solvent vapors fromthe ink; and duct containing members are suitably disposed between theframes and in the path of the moving web. To provide a restricted dryingchamber conforming to the predetermined path of the printed web,suitable plates or slides are disposed between the duct containingframes and on the sid of the web opposite the duct containing members.For gaining access to the web and the printing elements withoutdisturbing the path of the web, the duct containing members or portionsof the frames with which they are associated are movable or separable.In this manner, I have obviated all diflicultie's in prior known presseshaving web conditioning means and simultaneously have reduced the numberof parts, reduced construction and installation costs,

increased the efliciency of the entire press, improved the quality ofthe printed matter and rendered the entire appearance of the press 'morepleasing.

The above and other objects and advantages of my invention will beapparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of nowpreferred embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one of the preferred embodiments of myinvention in a two-unit rotary intaglio printing press as viewed fromthe operating side or from the right of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation of the opposite side of said printingpress taken from the left in F18. 4;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the printing press taken onthe line 3-4 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of either press unit when viewed from theleft in Fig. l; and I Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section similarto Fig. 3 showing a modified construction for the partition or framemember in which the supply and exhaust ducts of the drying andventilating system are incorporated.

Referring now to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 4 show one preferredembodiment of my invention in a two-unit rotary intaglio printing pressprovided with laterally spaced side frames III and Ila of one unit andlaterally spaced side frames II and Ila of the other unit, said sideframes being mounted on a common bed plate (not shown). Arranged betweenthe laterally spaced side frame and rotatable about transverse axes areprinting cylinders I2 and I2a and cooperatively arranged with respectthereto are impression cylinders I3 and Ila. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and3 of the drawings, screws II .are threaded into suitable bearingsupports II at opposite sides of both press units for adjusting thevertical po; sitions of bearings (not shown in the drawings) for theimpression cylinders with respect to the printing cylinders in the usualmanner. As indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, a continuous web assassoand completely across the web as it moves in a predetermined path fromthe impression cylinder I3 to the delivery guide roller 22. As seen inFig. 3 of the drawings, the rear wall of member 32 is spaced from andsubstantially conformsto the predetermined path of the printed web Il.Extending between the side frames ll and Ila in the rear of the printedweb are a plurality of plates or slides 22a, 32b, and 32c, which formwith the duct member 32, restricted drying chambers 35 through which theprinted portions of the web move upwardly from the first and secondprinting couples toward their respective delivery guiderollers 22, 22a.Leading from the drying chambers ll through port openings ll whichpreferably extend entirely across the width of the printed web, areexhaust ducts 31, the horizontally disposed pressureducts ll and exhaustducts 31 being preferably arranged in alternation with each other invertical series in both duct members.

In the particular embodiment of my invention herein shown, pressureducts 33 are in open communication with the manifold chamber ll at II issupplied to the press over a receiving guide roller I1 and passesdownwardly over guide rollers I8 and Il to the impression cylinder ll ofthe first press unit. Moving upwardly over the guide rollers 20 and 2|in a predetermined path from the impression cylinder, the continuous webpasses over a delivery guide roller 221:0 the receiving guide rollerI'Ia of the next press unit in series and in sequence moves downwardlyover guide rollers Ila and Ila to the impression cylinder Ila of thesecond press unit from which it passes upwardly over guide rollers Ilaand 2Ia to the next delivery guide roller 220. It will be understoodfrom this description that this path of movement for the continuous webthrough each unit, is repeatedas many times as there are press unitsincluded in the press.-

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, means rfor, supplying'aweb-treating medium such, for example, as air under pressure to theweb-conditioning apparatus to be presently described, is provided in theform of a blower 2l which delivers said medium to a pressure maincomprising successive sections 24, 2!, 2l,' etc., said sections beingprovided with attachment flanges 21, ll, etc., for the purpose ofinstalling additional press units or for disconnecting some of the unitstherefrom to provide the desired number of press units in a multicolorpress. Extending downwardly from each of the sections 24 and 2l of thepressure main=as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, is a conduit Nwhich opens through port openings ll (Fig. 4) into a manifold chamber lIwhich, according to this embodiment of my invention, is formed in atransverse ductcontaining member 82, extending between the side framesIII and Ila. As shown in Figs. 8 and 4 of the drawings, theseduct-containing members are provided with spaced horizontal ducts 32which open from the manifold chambers 3| andare provided with dischargeoutlets ll prefits right end (according to Fig. 4) while the exhaustducts 31 are in open communication at their left ends with a manifoldchamber ll formed in the associated frame member 32 adjacent the sideframe Ila. Extending across the duct or frame members 22 at thebottomare terminal exhaust chambers ll which are contracted downwardly towardthe tangential planes of the printing and impression cylinders of therespective printing units and are provided with intake openings Illpresented in close juxtaposition to those portions of the printed webleaving said printing units. By an inspection of the duct member "asshown in Fig. 3, it will be seen that thevertical series of alternatelydisposed horl zontal pressure and suction ducts are preferably arrangedwith suction ducts I'I and suction chambers ll at the upper and lowerends respectively of the web-treating chambers ll formed between ductmembers 32 and plates 32a, l2b and 220. It should be explained furtherthat the best results are secured by providing a suction capacityconsiderably in excess of the discharge capacity of the web-treatingmedium ducts to insure removal of all products of the web-conditioningtreatment. It will be understood from this description that thesubdivided currents of web-treating medium discharge in separate blastswhich impinge on the moving continuous web and after passing in whirlingeddies over localised areas of said web are sucked into and through theexhaust ducts.

ItwillbeseeninFigs.2a.nd4ofthedrawings that the exhaust conduits 42 openat their upper ends into an exhaust main shown mm. 2 of the drawings,said exhaust main comprising a Series of sections II, H, 15, etc.,provided with ing and ventilating chambers therefor, are readilyconnected up in an air conditioning system which, if desired, mayfurther include suitable erably extending the full length said ductsapparatus for recovering the solvents-by a condensation of the vaporsemanating from the printed web,

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be understood thatsections 24, 25, 26, etc., of the pressure main are preferablyconstructed in the detachably connected sections of the press andcorrespond in length and arrangement to sections 45, 44, 43,respectively of the exhaust main so that the press units may beinstalled or removed at will to provide an installation of any desiredsize. At the same time the pressure and exhaust mains including the sideframe spacing sections 25 and 44, constitute laterally spaced rigid topframe members for rigidly uniting any desired number of press unitswhich may be included in the installation. For the purpose of securingaproper distribution of the drying medium to the several web drying andpress ventilating chambers and regulation of the exhaust throughpressure channels of different length connected in parallel, Ipreferably employ ad- J'ustable louvers 4 8, 49 of suitable constructionfor closing the upper ends of pressure conduits 29 in greater or lesserdegree for properly regulating the current flows in different conduitsto correspond to the respective requirements for the several pressunits. For this purpose, each of the louvers may be separately adjustedor when conditions permit, the pressure louvers and exhaust regulatinglouvers (described below) for each unit may be adjusted in unison. Thusas indicated at the top of Fig. 1 of the drawings, louvers 48 and 49 aremounted on transverse shaft 50 and respectively, said shafts beingprovided at their outer ends with slotted arms 52 and 53 whereby saidlouvers may be secured in adjusted positions by means of studs or bolts(not shown) threaded into the frame through the slots in said arms. Inthe form shown, shafts 50 and 5| are extended to and through the exhaustmain at the other side of the press and have louvers 54 and 55 mountedthereon for regulating the exhaust from conduits 42 to correspond to theregulation of inflow of the drying medium at the' upper ends of pressureconduits 29 shown in Fig. 1.

Suitable and effective means for imparting relative longitudinaladjustments to different portions of the continuous web for securingregis tration of the impressions made on said web by successive pressunits, may be provided in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3' wherein theguide rollers l8 and l8a are shown to be journaled in depending arms 56keyed to transverse shafts 51. Keyed to the outer ends of shafts 51 aresegmental worm gears 58 with which worms 59 are in mesh, said wormsbeing mounted on suitable shafts provided with hand wheels 60 for movingthe guide rollers back and forth for varying the path length of oneportion of the web relatively to another.

As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the transverse duct containing framemembers 32 are preferably provided with axially spaced bearing lugs Blkeyed to shafts 62 upon which the de livery guide rollers 22 and 22a arefreely journaled. 'Keyed to the outer ends of shafts 62 as shown in Fig.2 are worm gear segments 63 which are in mesh with worms 64 on shaftsrotatable in bearings 55 and provided with hand wheels 56 whereby saidduct containing members may be moved away from the web as indicated bybroken lines for the right hand press unit shown in Fig. 1 for givingfree access to the press units.

According to Fig. 5 of the drawings, and for the purpose of uncoveringthe press units, the

duct or frame members are each constructedin three sections 61, 68 and69, the sections 61 are keyed at their upper ends to the delivery guideroller shafts l0 and are hinged at their lower ends at H to the adjacentsections 68 which in turn are hinged at 72 to sections 69. It will beunderstood from this description that by imparting a clockwise movementto section 6'! about the axis of shaft 10 and a further clockwisemovement of section 68 on hinge H with a counterclockwise movement ofsection 69 in hinge 12, these sections are readily folded together atthe top of the press as shown in broken lines in Fig. 5. In theiroperative arrangement shown in Fig. 5, it will be seen that the rearsurfaces of sections 61, 68, and 69 of the collapsible frame membersform substantially continuous walls which are spaced from and conform tothe printed webs moving from the printing couples. A series of plates6111,6811, and 69a which are preferably in the form of slides extendbetween the opposite side frames and form with the duct membersrestricted chambers through which the printed Web portions travel inleaving the respective printing couples and within which said webportions are subjected to a conditioning treatment similarto thatdescribed above.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that I haveprovided, in machines operating on webs, means of novel form andconstruction for conditioning the webs and ventilating the surroundingair. More especially, I have provided web conditioning and ventilatingmeans of the character described in connection with rotary intaglioprinting presses. For this purpose, I have provided a drying andventilating system of the character referred to for rotary intaglioprinting presses embodying a reduced number of parts of improvedconstruction arranged in a novel manner for reducing construction andinstallation costs; for increasing the efficiency of operators andprinting presses; and for rendering installations of this character lessunsightly.

I have further incorporated in the supporting 7 frame structure of arotary intaglio printing press, a novel construction and arrangement ofa supply main, conduits branching therefrom and ducts through which aweb-treating medium is supplied to a drying chamber through which theprinted Web moves. It is also clear that I have incorporated in thesupporting frame structure of a rotary intaglio printing press, a novelconstruction and arrangement of exhaust ducts and conduits leading to anexhaust main formed in the frame structure for conveying the noxiousvapors from one or more press units. I have furthermore incorporated inthe supporting frame structure of a rotary intaglio printing press acombined medium supply and exhaust system for the localized drying ofthe printed web and ventilation of the air surrounding said web. It willalso be seen that I have provided a novel form and arrangement of supplyand exhaust systems of the character referred to which is suitable forinclusion in an air conditioning system operated and various changes maybe made in the construction and certain features thereof employedwithout others, without departingfrom my invention or sacrificing any ofits advantages.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 333,712,filed May '7, 1940, and which issued on January I3, 1942, as Patent No.2,-

What I claim is: 1. In a rotary intaglio printing press comprising aplurality of serially arranged press units for successive printings on acontinuous web, the

combination with web printing and impression cylinders for said pressunits respectively, of spaced frames for said press units respectively,duct containing members for conveying web drying and ventilating mediumto and noxious gases from the respective press units, a pressure mainfor the web drying and ventilating medium, and an exhaust main for saidnoxious gases, said mains constituting laterally spaced stress membersfor all of said press units and comprising 'separably connected sectionswhereby the press units may be connected up and disconnected at tivelywithin said side frame sections, said duct containing members beingprovided with pressure ducts leading from said pressure conduits andwith exhaust ducts leading to said exhaust conduits, said pressure andexhaust ducts being provided with discharge outlets and exhaust intakespresented towards the printed sections of said web.

3. In a rotary intaglio printing press comprising a plurality ofserially arranged press units for successive printings on a continuousweb, the combination with web printing and impression cylinders for saidpress units respectively, of spaced frames for said press unitsrespectively, duct containing members movably mounted between saidspaced frames for conveying web drying and ventilating medium to andnoxious gases from the respective press, units, a pressure main for theweb drying and ventilating medium, and an exhaust main for saidnoxiousgases, said mains being operatively associated with said spacedframes and constituting laterally spaced stress members for all of saidpress units and comprising separably connected sections wherebythepress' units may be connected up and disconnected at will.

4. In a rotary intaglio printing press comprising a plurality ofserially arranged printing press units for successive printings on acontinuous web, the combination with side frames provided with supplyand exhaust ducts, of rotary printing couples for said units comprisingprinting and impression cylinders rotatable about upper and lower axesin spaced vertical planes, web guiding receiving and delivery rollershaving shafts rotatable about parallel axes arranged in a commonhorizontal plane above the cylinders, duct containing members secured tosaid shafts a respectively and conforming substantially to the webportion moving between the impression cylinders and delivery guiderollers for the respective press units and being adapted to convey a webdrying and ventilating medium to and noxious gases from the respectivepress units,

plates extending transversely between said side frames in spacedrelation to said duct containing members respectively for forming webventilating s chambers, a pressure main for the web drying andventilating medium in communication with said supply duct, and anexhaust main for said noxious gases associated with said exhaust duct,said mains constituting laterally spaced stress members for all of saidpress units and comprising separably connected sections whereby thepress units may be connected up and disconnected at will.

5. In a rotary intaglio printing press comprising a plurality ofserially arranged press units for successive printings on a continuousweb, the combination with web printing and impression cylinders for saidpress units respectively, of spaced frames for said press unitsrespectively, duct containing members for conveying web drying andventilating'medium to and noxious gases from the respective press units,a pressure main for the'web drying and ventilating medium, and anexhaust main for said noxious gases, said mains constituting laterallyspaced stress memhere for all of said press units and comprisingseparably connected sections whereby the press units may be connected upand disconnected at' will, and said duct containing members beingoperatively and movably connected to said mains. 6. In a rotary intaglioprlntingpress compris .ing a plurality of serially arranged press unitsfor successive printings on a continuous web, the combination withwebprinting and impression cylinders for said press units respectively,oi spaced frames for said press units respectively, duct containingmembers for conveying web drying and ventilating medium to and noxiousgases from the respective press units, plates extending transverselybetween said spaced frames in spaced relation to said duct containingmembers respectively for forming web ventilating chambers, a pressuremain for the web drying and ventilating medium, and an exhaust main forsaid noxious gases, said mains constituting laterally. spaced stressmembers for all of said press units and comprising separably connectedsectiongwhereby the press units may be connected up and disconnected atwill.

ing a plurality of serially arranged press units for s successiveprintings on a continuous web, the combination with web printing andimpression cylinders for said press units respectively, of spaced framesfor said press units respectively, duct containing members for conveyingweb drying and ventilating medium to and noxious gases from therespective press units, plates extending transversely between saidspaced frame in spaced relation to said duct containing membersrespectively for forming web ventilating chambers, a pressure main forthe web drying and ventilating medium, and an exhaust main for saidnoxious gases, said mainsconstituting laterally spaced stress membersfor all of said press units and comprising separably connected sectionswhereby the press units may be connected up and disconnected at will,and said duct containing members 1. In a rotary intaglio printing presscomprlsspaced frames for said press units respectively,

duct containing members for conveying web drying and ventilating mediumto and noxious gases from the respective press units, plates extendingtransversely between said spaced frames in spaced relation to said ductcontaining members respectively for forming web ventilating chambers, apressure main for the web drying and ventilating medium, and an exhaustmain for said noxious gases, said mains constituting laterally spacedstress members for all of said press units and comprising separablyconnected sections whereby the press units may be connected up anddisconnected at will, said duct containing members beingcollapsibly-constructed and movable to a position affording freeaccess'to the web.

9. In a rotary intaglio printing press comprising a plurality ofserially arranged press units for successive printings on a continuousweb, the combination with web printing and impression cylinders for saidpress units respectively, of spaced frames for said press unitsrespectively, duct containing members for conveying web drying andventilating medium to and noxious gases from the respective press units,plates extending transversely between said spaced frames inspacedrelation to said duct containing members respectively for forming webventilating chambers, a pressure main for the web drying and ventilatingmedium, and an exhaust main for said noxious gases, said mainsconstituting laterally spaced stress members for all of said press unitsand comprising separably connected sections whereby the press units maybe connected up and disconnected at will, said duct containing memberscomprising hinged sections foldable in alternately opposite directionsinto compact formation for aifording free access to the web.

In a supporting structure for a printing press comprising a plurality ofseparable press units for successive printings on a continuous web, thecombination of a plurality of pairs of laterally spaced side framesections for the respective press units provided with pressure mains andexhaust mains which constitute laterally spaced stress members for allof the press units and comprise separably connected sections whereby thepress units may be connected up or disconnected at will, and ductcontaining members extending between opposite side frame sections ofsaid press units and being provided with pressure and exhaust ductsassociated with said pressure and exhaust mains and having dischargeoutlets and exhaust intakes presented toward the printed sections of theweb.

11. In a rotary intaglio printing press comprising a plurality ofserially arranged pressunits for successive printings on a continuousweb, the

combination with web printing and impression cylinders for said pressunits respectively, of spaced frames for said press units respectively,

means for guiding a continuous web to and from saidpress units,transverse plates extending between said spaced frames and' arrangedsubstantially parallel with and on one side of the portion of the webleading from each printing unit, duct containing members movable betweensaidside frames into and out of substantial parallelism with saidtransverse plates and disposed on the opposite side of the printed webfor'forming a drying chamber for the web and for conveying drying andventilating medium to and noxious gases from the respective press units,a pressure main for the web drying and ventilating medium, and anexhaust main for said noxious gases, said mains constitutingv laterallyspaced stress members for all of said press units and comprisingseparably connected sections whereby the press units may be connected upand disconnected at will.

12. In a rotary intaglio printing press comprising a plurality ofserially arranged press units for successive printings on a continuousweb, the combination with web printing and impression cylinders for saidpress units respectively, of spaced frames for said press unitsrespectively,

duct containing members ,movably mounted between said spaced frames forconveying web drying and ventilating medium to and noxious gases fromthe respective press units, pressure and exhaust mains associated withsaid frames and said duct containing members and constituting laterallyspaced stress members for all of the press units and comprisingseparably connected sections whereby the press units may be connected upand disconnected at will, and means for moving said duct containingmembers.

13. In a rotary intaglio printing press, the combination comprisingspaced side frames; a printing couple journalled about parallel axestransverse to said side frames; a web delivery roller for guiding acontinuous web in a predetermined path from said printing couple; atransverse plate extending between said side frames from said webdelivery roller to said printing couple and disposed in saidpredetermined path on one side of the web; a duct containing memberdisposed in said predetermined path on the other side of said web andextending from said web delivery roller to said printing couple forconveying a web drying and ventilating medium to and noxious gases fromsaid predetermined path, said duct-containing member being movable,without disturbing the web, about the axis of said delivery roller to aposition away from said web so as to permit access to said web and theprinting couple; a pressure main for said.

web may pass substantially immediately after. printing.

ADOLPH WEISS.

